Britain’s brightest state-school kids are missing out on university despite catching up with private pupils

Teens at fee-paying schools are three times more likely to get a place – according to new research

Teenagers at fee-paying schools are three times more likely to get a place.

Teenagers at fee-paying schools are three times more likely to get a place at university despite comprehensive kids catching them up

Yet the average improvement by pupils at the 50 top performing comps from GCSE to A-level was higher than at the 50 best independent schools, a study by the Policy Exchange think-tank revealed yesterday.

Eight per cent fewer state- educated children make it to uni than in 2012 as grammar school kids snap up the places, separate figures showed.

It comes as 300,000 pupils await their A-level results, which are due on Thursday.

Private school heads argue that their pupils show less striking improvement at A-level because their GCSE results are already so high.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said the government had made no headway in its pledge to get more state-educated kids into university.

She added: “Meanwhile, access rates for the more affluent pupils in private and grammar schools are rising.”

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner believes the government has made no headway in getting more state- educated kids into university

The Department for Education said recent Universities and Colleges Admissions Service data showed people from “disadvantaged backgrounds” were 43 per cent more likely to go to uni than in 2009/10.

PARENTS give kids an average £10,000 while at university, a survey says.

Eight in ten help them out this way — with one in three later giving cash to repay student loans.

A similar number say relatives chip in.

But one in seven mums and dads lack enough cash to cover all costs.

And one in five says university is not worth it, 2,000 told insurer Aviva.